hey, you guys ready to let the dogs out?

A couple weeks ago my four wonderful siblings and I enjoyed a weekend in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. We all lead such busy lives and rarely get to spend quality time together. It was, simply put, amazing.

Now matter how you view it: "Sin City," "City of Lost Wages," or just a simple vacation-- it's got something for everyone. I used to think that Las Vegas was purely synonymous with gambling. All the stories I ever heard from people were about winning or losing large sums of money. But while gambling is certainly worth mentioning, I quickly came to realize that there's much more to it than that. Las Vegas has grown to be not only just a little mecca of sin but a second Disney World-- for adults! I will spare you all of the finite details of our trip but I'll recap each day with a brief summary. Enjoy!Friday: Adam, Jenny, Kris and I were the last to arrive. We flew in a little after 10pm. This was definitely the way to go; less people and a quick trip to the hotel. Once we got to NewYork NewYork we had time to quickly drop our bags off and then it was time to hit the town. After a quick deliberation we decided to walk down the strip until we found a 'cheap' casino, i.e. one that had $5 blackjack tables. After all, how would our vacation be complete if we didn't contribute to the city's biggest industry? But after walking for over an hour, about half of us decided to head back to the hotel. Call us boring if you'd like, but we wanted to make sure we had enough steam for the following day and night. From what I hear, the rest of that night panned out pretty good. They made their way to the Imperial Palace and gambled until about 5am.

Saturday: On Saturday morning we stayed pretty close to the hotel. Since the guys had to leave for golf at 1pm, all we really had time for was a quick tour of the adjacent hotels. Kris and I made our way to the Excalibur and then quickly walked through the Luxor before heading back toward NYNY. When the guys left, the girls laid poolside all afternoon while sipping margaritas and reading magazines. At around 5pm we decided to hit the strip. Because we didn't expect the guys back until around 10pm, we took our time walking toward our dinner destination. We shopped at the m&m store and turned down several porn offers before eventually making our way to CaboWabo- a delicious Cantina restaurant located at Planet Hollywood- and at around 10pm the guys arrived and we all enjoyed dinner together. After dinner we made quite the jaunt back to our hotel. The walk was long but it didn't seem to bother anyone since we were all having such a good time. I had to give my sister the shirt off of my back because she had some allergic reaction and came down with a 'weepy eye'. Once we were back at the hotel the girls decided to hit the dance floor. We made our way into the club located right at our hotel- Rok Vegas. I had a good time letting loose and shakin' it with my sister-in-laws. After that, it was off to bed for me.

Sunday: We had decided the night before that on Sunday we wanted to take a "foot tour" and explore the hotels on the opposite end of the strip. But before that, the guys decided to play a poker tournament at the Excalibur (which, by the way, my Kris placed 4th in). My sister and I played some slots for a little while. This was fun because I won close to $50 on the Wheel of Fortune slot machine! I decided not to press my luck and instead decided to quit while I was ahead. Miranda, Jenny, Tyler, Sarah and I started our foot tour off by checking out the lions at MGM Grand and then hopping on the monorail. We got off at Harrah's and walked down to the Venetian where we checked out the fancy gondola. By this time Kris finished kicking butt at poker and met us. Then we walked across the street to Caesar's Palace and wandered around there for a while. Next we hit the Belagio and saw some fancy glass-blown art. After our foot tour we were pretty beat so caught a cab back to the hotel. We decided to have dinner as a group in the Freemont area. It was neat to see the older more traditional part of town. After a couple hours of exploring Freemont it was time to head back to the strip. I went to bed pretty early because our flight was at some ungodly hour.

Monday: Back to reality.

Once all was said and done, I realized how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a loving, supportive family. Being the youngest of five hasn't always been easy, but over the years I have come to realize that I'll always be the baby and that I'll always be looked out for. So when my siblings all agreed to spend the weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate my twenty first birthday, I can't say I was all that surprised. But it far surpassed all of my expectations and turned out to be one of the best vacations of my life. I definitely couldn't have asked for more special way to celebrate this milestone than with my wonderful siblings. Miranda, Zach, Adam and Tyler-- thanks for being the best older siblings a girl could ask for. Shawn, Heidi, and Sarah-- thanks for being part of our family. To all of you-- thanks for coming to my birthday party in fabulous Las Vegas! I can't wait to do it again.

goodbye junior year, hello summer

Oh, hello Summer! You finally made it. What took you so long, anyway? I see. Well of course I forgive you, silly... why wouldn't I? But would you please, at the very least, call next time you're going to be so late? Thanks!

Even though I complain about Summer's late arrival, I honestly do feel like this year, and especially Spring semester, went by incredibly fast. It seems like just yesterday I was packing up my belongings in Astoria as I got ready to move back to school for my Junior year. And now, 9 months later, I'm packing up my things and returning once again to my favorite spot on the Oregon coast. When I return, I will be a Senior! Yikes. I must really be growing up, because my mother always told me that the older you got, the faster time went. For my own sake, I will say time flies when you are having fun. Yeah, that's it. I just recently finished taking my finals for the semester and the next thing I know I'll be preparing to graduate. Now that's a scary thought.

My finals went as expected, for the most part. Although, I will be waiting (not so) patiently on the edge of my seat until the final grades are released in just a few, short days. All I can do is hope for the best. Aside from working as much as possible this summer, I plan to enjoy my last summer before I hit the real world in 2011.

Anyway, here's to a safe and spectacular Summer!

I thought it might be fun to reflect on the school year by taking a walk down memory lane...

In October, I embraced my roots and was an Oregonian for Halloween...

At our holiday party in December, I celebrated my Jewish heritage...

Once Spring started it was softball, softball, softball...

But at least we got to spend some time in sunny California...

Once that was over, it was time to enjoy the Springtime...

And spend time with my crazy kids!

Happy Summer, everyone!

the lemonade stand

Dear beloved followers of Caitology,

It is with deep condolence and much regret that I offer you a trite and simple phrase: I'm sorry. I'm sorry for neglecting to keep you entertained for the past two months. I'm sorry for misleading you into thinking I was a good blog author. But most importantly, I'm sorry for letting you down.

To say the past two months have been a struggle would be an understatement. I will not go into detail here, since the internet is such a sinister and untrustworthy place, but I can assure you that my emotions lately have been alternately painful and pleasant, heartbreaking and exhilarating (and not because I'm a Chicago WhiteSox fan, although those emotions do run quite similar). Life definitely handed me enough lemons to fund a rather large lemonade stand. "But Cait," you might be saying, "You have such a happy, easy-going temperament... what could possibly get you down?" I know, friends, I know. But I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. And I've come to learn that difficult times come in huge waves. And although at the time it seemed to smother me, it did eventually pass and I'm still standing. And I know that since it was strong, then I'm now a stronger person because of it.

Anyhow, it's good to be back! It seems that the semester has flown by, academically speaking. Final exams are 3 weeks away and the end of the school year is in sight, which means that Summer is right around the corner. And guess what that means?! Yep, you guessed it-- I'm going to Las Vegas for my twenty-first birthday next month. Watch out, world.

So, followers, do you accept my apology? It's from my heart, truly. If you accept, I can guarantee that I will make it up to you in the coming months.

Peace and blessings,
Cait

the babies are coming!

I first discovered this trailer last Fall and was complete stoked. I had sort of forgotten about it until just recently, when I saw somewhere that it's coming out in April! If you haven't heard of it, this much anticipated documentary, it follows the progress of four infants-- from Tokyo, Namibia, Mongolia and San Francisco-- from birth until their first steps. Child rearing as seen through four different cultures. It seems kind of March of the Penguins-esque, like hardly any dialogue but still captivating and rad.

really, utah?

I read an article the other week that I could hardly finish because it literally made me feel sick. If you'd like, you can read it here. Apparently, a new bill passed by the Utah state legislature (and which currently awaits the governor's signature) criminalizes miscarriages. In other words, it allows the state to charge a woman with criminal homicide for inducing a miscarriage or obtaining an illegal abortion. But in addition to criminalizing an intentional attempt to induce a miscarriage, the law also sets a standard that might make women legally responsible for miscarriages caused by 'reckless' behavior.

Of course, we all know that it's just another way to cut at a woman's right to choose. So first you bomb abortion clinics and murder abortion providers until women simply can't get access to safe, legal abortions. Then, you set up a welfare system that makes it virtually impossible for single mothers to provide for themselves and/or their child. And then you proceed to complain about single welfare mothers. Etc. etc.

Don't get me wrong-- I am in no way, shape or form condoning this behavior. I wish no one did drugs while they were pregnant. I wish no expecting mothers got into fistfights, or drank, or smoked. I hate the thought of unsafe, illegal abortions just as much as the next person. But do I think the solution is criminalizing 'risky behavior'? Absolutely not. What about better access to prenatal care and safe, legal abortions instead? I think this type of attitude is missing altogether from the pro-life campaign. Shouldn't the pro-life movement be all for increased funding for available contraception and sex education? Would that not be a better way to reduce the number of abortions than simply making them illegal? But it seems that in my experience (and this is completely anecdotal, of course) that the people who are pro-life are also anti welfare, anti universal health-care, anti sex-education, and anti contraceptives in schools, so that just isn't an option, I guess.

This is something I have never understood about the pro-life movement. It's a vicious cycle, and it goes something like this...

Oh, hey there teenager! Today we're going to teach you about abstinence only. Nevermind that you're a teenager with an under developed frontal lobe with little-to-no judgment capacity and also have raging hormones that activate sexual drives. Yeah, who cares if our method doesn't work. You'll just go and get yourself pregnant because you can't get contraception. And then we're going to make it nearly impossible for you to get an abortion because we're going to picket outside planned parenthood and judge you. Then, when you feel as if you have no other alternatives and you resort to this alternative of doing drugs or seeking other unsafe methods, we'll put you on trial, humiliate you and call you a criminal. Have fun in prison, you criminal! Maybe if you had listened to our ineffectual advice on abstinence, and maybe if we had given you access to birth control, and maybe if we had allowed you to get a legal abortion you wouldn't have to spend the rest of your life in jail. Sorry about that!

Also, I don't buy that the aim of this law is to punish the rare woman who pays someone to beat her up or throws herself down the stairs. The aim is to start a precedent toward criminalizing ending pregnancy that can eventually be extended toward less extreme circumstances. Very, very slippery slope and very, very intentionally so. Not to mention the fact that there are so many things that can cause miscarriages and there are even more things out there that may cause miscarriages. This law seems awfully vague, and awfully scary.

Be careful, Utah.

just, or just naughty?

One of my favorite things about being an Aunt is the fact that I get to hear all sorts of hilarious stories about the happenings of the kids' lives without actually having to deal with them. Yesterday evening, my sister called with a story I just had to share with the blog-o-sphere. If you'll remember from this post, Kayla is the niece of mine who is the mastermind behind all sorts of nefarious schemes. She's the same kid who one time convinced my sister she was out of lunch money and then proceed treat the check like cash and attempt buy something else with it. The same kid who once packed all of her clothes and toys and said she wanted to be taken to the orphanage. And the same kid who, on multiple occasions, has gone missing and been found wandering around the neighborhood unrestrained. You get the idea?

But, she's the youngest of three girls, so can you blame her? As many of my family members can contest, she has two very clever, smart and strong-willed sisters who know how to bully her and push her buttons. So, for her whole life she's been competing with them and been forced to learn ways to get what she wants-- or else, suffer through it. Natural selection at its finest. I'm no biology major, but scientifically she's bound to develop some strategies and techniques of her own in order to survive, right?

So, the other night, after allegedly being publicly humiliated by her older sister Claire (and I say publicly because apparently there was a non family member present during the humiliation), Kayla put her thinking cap on and set out for retaliation. Now, just so you know-- Kayla intends to pursue a career in the science field and frequently conducts her own 'experiments'. Like any scientist, she is driven by curiosity and intrigue and simply wanted to see if she could create her own variety of face soap. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this. After all, the education of a scientist comes not from formal education but from experience and trying to see, "what would happen if..."

The guinea pig of her concoction? You guessed it: Claire bear. So, she dumped out the entirety of Claire's brand new bottle of face soap and proceeded to fill it with a lot of things that don't typically belong in your typical face soap bottle. Such as conditioner, body lotion, and another unidentified substance that gave the finished product a thin, liquidy quality. "Hopefully water," my sister said. HA! I wouldn't count on that.

Anyway, so then she waited. And waited. I can't imagine the willpower! This must have been hard, especially for an almost-8-year-old. She didn't utter a word until the next time Claire went to wash her face. Can you imagine the thoughts running through her mind when Claire finally made a move toward the bathroom? As expected, Claire commented afterward that her face soap didn't feel quite right. In fact, it actually stung her face. After some speculations and accusations, Kayla admitted to the crime. She had indeed disposed of Claire's face soap and created her own version. Her only response? Payback.

So, Internet, tell me-- was little Kayla justified in her actions, or were her actions just plain naughty?

grandpa willmer

Dealing with death is a life experience no one wants to face. And yet, it's one of the only things in life that comes with a 100% guarantee. We are alive and therefore we will die. This is the simplest, most obvious truth of our existence. No matter who we are, where we live, or what we do, death will, at some point, touch all of us in one way or another. Recently, my 86 year old Grandfather passed away. And while it certainly hasn't been easy to come to terms with, it has helped me develop an awareness of my own mortality in a way that has enabled me to embrace life for what it is and come to terms with death with a renewed sense of grace, clarity and fearlessness.

I wrote a eulogy and delivered it at the funeral service last weekend. It was, without a doubt, one of the most nerve wracking experiences of my life. But at the same time, with the love and support of my family behind me, it was something that came pretty naturally. And so, with a pounding heart and sweaty palms, but the confidence and encouragement provided by a wonderful family, I made my way past the baptismal font and up to the podium...

Anyone who knew Grandpa Willmer was surely familiar with his thick skin and sometimes gruff personality. It was those personality traits that made him seem, at times, unnerving and intimidating. But anyone who spent enough time with him soon realized that those traits weren't all encompassing of him as an individual. Right around the time I was learning to drive my Grandpa bought a brand new Volkswagen Jetta. I frequently made comments about its awesomeness, something Grandpa found pretty funny. And so, in the Summer of 2006, he asked my Mom if I wanted to accompany him on a trip to Bend, Oregon. He had some photography equipment from his father's business that he wanted to give to the historical society (or as Grandpa called it, the "hysterical society"). Like most 16 year-olds, I was hesitant at first to embark on such a seemingly uncool adventure with Grandpa. But driving Grandpa's car was a pretty good incentive and when push came to shove, I was actually pretty excited. But first, Grandpa understandably wanted to see if I was a safe enough driver. So I drove to Stayton one afternoon so that we could go on a test drive. This was more intimidating than getting in the car with the DMV employee. We were driving around town when suddenly I noticed in the rear view mirror that I was being pulled over. I tried to keep my composure, insisting to Grandpa that I hadn't done anything wrong. When the officer approached my window, he had a smile on his face. He looked at Grandpa and said, "Sir, can I ask why don't you have your seat-belt on?" As we pulled away ticket free the both of us had a good laugh about how, sure enough, I hadn't done anything wrong. For me, that moment humanized Grandpa. It made me realize that underneath the gruff facade was an imperfect person just like you and I. Also, it made me realize that the imperfections aren't whats important. It's the positive qualities - like asking your granddaughter to go on a road trip, insisting that your grandchildren wear a Santa cap and pose for Christmas photo, wearing a mask to elicit a laugh from half a centuries worth of trick-or-treaters, providing for 5 children, or unyieldingly serving nation and a community - that really make a person who they are. Lets us remember Grandpa through that lens.

They say you can learn the lot about a person's character by how he treats the most vulnerable. For Grandpa, that could be seen in his love and care for his animals. But you don't have to take my word for it about the paradox between his tough exterior and his true character ... the facts speak for themselves. What other no-nonsense, two-term mayor has a 'keystone cop' outfit and a purple scooter in his garage?

Henry James once said, "Sorrow comes in great waves...but it rolls over us, and though it may almost smother us it leaves us on the spot and we know that if it is strong, we are stronger inasmuch as it passes and we remain." Grandpa Willmer has taken the last step on his journey home and although he may be gone, he will never be forgotten. In the tomorrows still to come he will walk beside us in the sunshine and the rain. We will speak his name often and we will close our eyes and smile, because he lived.

Please, if there is one thing I ask of you, it is to embrace and cherish the moments that you are fortunate enough to spend with your loved ones.

RIP Grandpa,

Love you always,

Cait